Let’s stop segmenting our region

The new $46 million athletic complex at Fair Park represents a tremendous investment in the Fair Park area of Birmingham.

It’s a project that can be a catalyst not only for the city and the surrounding areas, but also for the entire region.

That’s why the debate over the name of the complex – tentatively called the Birmingham Metro CrossPlex – is troubling.

Some members of the city council have expressed concern that the “Birmingham” part of the name will get lost in the shuffle. According to the Birmingham News, some members of the council mentioned that the name downplays the fact that the project is a city project.

They are right that the city’s name should be included in the name of the project – at least until a sponsor for naming rights is secured – but for the wrong reason. Birmingham should be part of the name simply because that’s what most outsiders call our entire region.

We’ve written numerous times in this space about the dangers of further segmenting our region, instead of working together. This is another example of fostering competition instead of cooperation between our cities.

The individuals, families, groups and others who will be traveling to the facility from around the country won’t care which local municipality was responsible for the facility.

We agree that the name of the facility should evoke immediate name recognition for Birmingham. But it takes more than a name.

People know Legion Field is in Birmingham, the Rose Bowl is in Pasadena and the Apollo Theater is in New York because of the history and legendary events that took place at those venues. Those cities are identified with those venues and vice versa.

Instead of debating the merits of a name that will likely get changed when and if a sponsor is found, perhaps that energy would be best spent finding ways to maximize the potential of this facility.

By putting our efforts toward landing major athletic events and bringing in people from around the country to this first-class facility in Birmingham, the Magic City will get all the name recognition it needs.